Wire replacement device

ABSTRACT

A first guide guides a wire at a first position. A second guide guides the wire at a second position. A feeder feeds the wire from the first position to the second position. A length examiner examines the wire to be fed in length between the first and second positions and at downstream of the feeder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a wire replacement device that has a plurality of downstream wire guide nozzles, allows wire quality, size, or color to be easily replaced, and measures a feed amount of a wire.

[0003] 2. Description of Relevant Art

[0004] A kind of a wire replacer has a nozzle base provided to a replacer body, the nozzle base to be vertically moved by movement of a timing belt. The nozzle base has a plurality of upstream wire guide nozzles arranged vertically in rows. A respective upstream nozzle is stopped at a predetermined position on a pass-line by movement of the timing belt. The replacer body has one downstream wire guide nozzle provided thereto, the nozzle being connected to the upstream nozzle at the position on the pass-line. The upstream and downstream nozzles each have a respective hole to guide a wire to an inner part in a longitudinal direction thereof, and the wire is to be fed along the pass-line through the nozzles.

[0005] The replacer body has a respective pair of feed rolls and length measurement rolls (length examination roll) arranged at both sides relative to the upstream nozzle at the position on the pass-line. The respective pair of feed rolls and length measurement rolls is to be moved between press-contact and detached positions by synchronous rotation of a respective arm, the press-contact position where it is to be press contacted with the wire through cut for a respective upstream nozzle at the position on the pass-line, the detached position where it is to be detached from the wire. A pair of the feed rolls is driven by a rotation drive mechanism. The rotation drive mechanism is rotated synchronously by a drive motor and gears for transmitting rotation of the drive motor. Rotation of the pair of feed rolls at the press-contact position makes a movement force be applied to the wire, thus to feed the wire. A pair of the measurement rolls follows the fed wire to be rotated. An encoder detects the rotation to measure a feed amount of the wire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In the wire replacer, however, the pair of measurement rolls is arranged upstream relative to the pair of feed rolls, and due to below reason precise feed amount can not be measured. That is, the pair of feed rolls feeds the wire, being brought in contact with the wire on its both sides under pressure, and the wire which has passed over the pair of feed rolls is fed, with being crushed, so that a precise measurement is not performed.

[0007] If the pair of measurement rolls is arranged downstream relative to the pair of feed rolls, precise measurement is to be performed. The arrangement, however, makes two spaces overlapped with each other, one space for arrangement of a rotation drive mechanism to drive the pair of feed rolls, the other space for vertical movement of the upstream nozzles, thus not ensuring the other space.

[0008] An object of the invention is to provide a wire replacement device that ensures movement of upstream nozzles.

[0009] Another object is to provide a wire replacement device that allows a wire to be precisely measured in length.

[0010] An aspect of the invention provides a wire replacement device which including: a first guide for guiding a wire at a first position; a second guide for guiding the wire at a second position; a feeder for feeding the wire from the first position to the second position; and a length examiner for examining the wire to be fed in length between the first and second positions and at downstream of the feeder.

[0011] Preferably, the feeder includes a first roll to be detached from the wire.

[0012] Preferably, the length examiner includes a second roll to be detached from the wire.

[0013] Preferably, the further includes a third guide for guiding the wire between the first and second positions.

[0014] Preferably, the third guide is variable in length.

[0015] Preferably, the third guide includes a first nozzle, and a second nozzle fitted to the first nozzle for movement.

[0016] Preferably, the device further includes an actuator including a cylinder for movement of the second nozzle.

[0017] Preferably, the device further includes a fourth guide for guiding the second nozzle.

[0018] According to the aspect, the length examiner is disposed downstream of the feeder, and the wire is accurately examined in length and the first guide is ensured in movement.

[0019] When examining the wire in length, the third guide is varied in length and the first and second rolls are contacted with the wire under pressure. The length examiner measures the wire in length at downstream of the feeder. The third guide is to be established at a predetermined length, and the first guide is set at its downstream end not to interfere with a drive mechanism of the feeder. Thus, the wire is accurately examined in length and the first guide is ensured in movement.

[0020] The wire is guided by the first guide, the third guide, and the second guide in order, and is securely fed, thus being automated in feed.

[0021] The first nozzle guides the second nozzle, and the second nozzle is stabilized in movement.

[0022] The cylinder makes the second nozzle moved in a straight line, and the cylinder the second nozzle is to be connected with each other, so that a constitution is remarkably simplified.

[0023] The fourth guide guides the second nozzle to be moved, and the second nozzle is further stabilized in movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0024]FIG. 1 is a side view of a wire replacer according to the invention;

[0025]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part on FIG. 1 where a respective pair of feed rolls and measurement rolls is centered;

[0026]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the main part in FIG. 2; and

[0027]FIG. 4 is a side view of the main part in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] An embodiment of the present invention will hereby be explained with reference to the drawings.

[0029] As shown on FIG. 1, a wire replacer with length examiner 20 has pulley supports 22 and 23 fixed to a body 21 at its top and bottom. Respective one of the pulley supports 22 and 23 rotatably supports respective pair of pulleys 25 fixed to its respective axle 24. A respective pulley 25 at the top has a servo motor 26 with an axle in connection with axle 24 thereof, the servo motor 26 to be driven for the respective pulley 25 to be rotated. The respective pair of pulleys 25 at the top and bottom has a respective timing belt 27 applied therebetween, the timing belt being fixed to a nozzle base 28.

[0030] The nozzle base 28 has upstream wire guide nozzles 29, or first guide, arranged vertically in rows. A respective upstream nozzle 29 is to be stopped selectively at a determined position on a pass-line L1 by movement of the respective timing belt 27. The respective nozzle 29 has a respective hole 29 b for guiding a wire W1 to its inner part of its longitudinal direction. The respective nozzle 29 has a respective cut 29 a for a roll, in which feed rolls 32 as described later is to come. The respective nozzle 29 has a position P1 at its end downstream in a wire feed direction, the position P1 being set not to interfere with a rotation drive mechanism 42 for the feed rolls 32. The reason that the end position P1 is freely set is to be described later.

[0031] The body 21 has one downstream wire guide nozzle 30, the nozzle 30 being arranged at a predetermined distance upstream of the upstream nozzle 29 at a position on a predetermined pass-line L1. The downstream nozzle 30 is made of a flexible material, with a hole 30 b for guide of the wire W1 to its inner part of its longitudinal direction. The downstream nozzle 30 has a swing arm 31 fixed with its downstream end, with the swing arm 31 being rotatably supported by the body 21. A rotation of the arm 31 makes the downstream nozzle 30 flexibly deformed, and the wire W1 to be inserted in the downstream nozzle 30 is moved at its end selectively to a termination manufacturing means, or a wire stripping part and a terminal crimping part, at its distal end.

[0032] As illustrated on FIG. 2 and 3, a pair of feed rolls 32 are arranged at both sides relative to the upstream nozzle 29 on the pass-line L1. A respective feed roll 32 has a respective support 33 a supporting its center axle for rotation, the respective support 33 being fixed to a respective distal end of a pair of arms 34. A respective arm 34 has a respective axle 35 fixed at its proximal end. The respective axle 35 is fixed with a respective one of gears 38 and 39, with the gears 38 and 39 being engaged with each other. One axle 35 is connected to a drive rod 41 a for an electromagnetic solenoid 41 through a link 40.

[0033] When the solenoid 41 drives the rod 41 a to be lengthened, the link 40 rotates in the direction shown by arrow al on FIG. 3. The rotation causes the pair of arms 34 to be rotated in the direction shown by arrow b1 on FIG. 3. When the pair of rolls 32 are moved apart from each other and the solenoid 41 is driven to shorten the rod 41 a, the link 40 rotates in the direction shown by arrow cl on FIG. 3. The rotation causes the pair of arms 34 to be rotated in the direction shown by dl on FIG. 3, thus to move the pair of rolls 32 to come close each other. The movement causes the pair of rolls 32 to be moved between a press-contact position and a detached position, the press-contact position for the upstream nozzle 29 to come in the cut 29 for press-contact with the wire W1, the detached position for the upstream nozzle 29 to come out of the cut 29 a to be away from the wire W1.

[0034] The pair of rolls 32 are rotated by a rotation drive mechanism 42. The drive mechanism 42 includes a drive motor 43 with a rotation axle 43 a; a first spur gear 44 fixed to the rotation axle 43 a; second and third spur gears 45 and 46 engaged with each other, the second gear 45 being engaged with the first spur gear 44; fourth and fifth gears 47 and 48 respectively rotatably supported by a respective arm 34 and respectively engaged with respective one of the second and third spur gears 45 and 46; and sixth and seventh gears 49 and 50 respectively fixed to a center axle of the respective roll 32 and engaged with respective one of the fourth and fifth spur gears 47 and 48.

[0035] When rotating the drive motor 43 in the direction of the arrow e1, the rotation is transmitted to the first gear 44, the second gear 45, and the fourth gear 47 in order and to the first gear 44, second gear 45, third gear 46, the fifth gear 48, and the seventh gear 50 in order, thus to rotate the pair of rolls 32 in a direction of feeding the wire W1.

[0036] An intermediate nozzle 51 is interposed between the upstream and downstream nozzles 29, 30 positioned on the predetermined pass-line L1. The nozzle 51 includes a fixed nozzle 51 a; and a movable nozzle 51 b to move in an axis direction, overlapping partially with the fixed nozzle 51 a. The fixed nozzle 51 a is fixed by a nozzle fixing member 53 fixed through a cylinder mechanism 52. The movable nozzle 51 b is connected to a drive rod 52 a of the cylinder mechanism 52, and the drive of the cylinder mechanism 52 causes the movable nozzle 51 b to be moved in the axis direction, varying an overlap amount with the fixed nozzle 51 b. By the movement of the movable nozzle 51 b, the intermediate nozzle 51 is displaced between a guide position (a solid lined position on FIG. 4) and a non-guide position (an imaginary lined position), the guide position where the movable nozzle 51 b is to be brought substantially in contact with the upstream nozzle 29 of a downstream end and the intermediate nozzle 51 is to guide the wire W1 to the downstream nozzle 30, the wire W1 to be guided from the upstream nozzle 29, the non-guide position where the movable nozzle 51 b is to be apart from the downstream end of the upstream nozzle 29 for opening a coming-in space for a length measurement roll 55 between the intermediate nozzle 51 and the upstream nozzle 29.

[0037] The support plate 36 has a nozzle holding member 54 with a guide hole 54 a fixed thereon, the guide hole 54 a for inserting the movable nozzle 51 b at its end to be moved. The movable nozzle 51 b is guided at its end by the holding member 54 for movement.

[0038] A pair of length measurement roll (length examination roll) 55 are arranged at both sides relative to the intermediate nozzle 51 at a predetermined position on the pass-line L1. A respective roll 55 is rotatably supported at its center axle by respective one of a pair of movement support members 56. A respective support member 56 is supported by a respective drive rod (not shown on FIGS. ) of a pair of solenoid mechanisms 57. The pair of solenoid mechanisms 57 is fixed on the support plate 36. By a drive of the pair of the solenoid mechanisms 57, the pair of measurement rolls 55 is displaced between a position for contact with the wire W1 in the open space and a position away from the wire W1. One of the measurement rolls 55 has an encoder 58 provided thereto to detect rotation of the one of the measurement rolls 55. Detection output of the encoder 58 causes a feed amount of the wire W1 to be measured.

[0039] Next, the replacer 20 of operation is explained. At wire length examination, the intermediate nozzle 51 is placed at the non-guide position (the imaginary lined position on FIG. 4). Making use of the opening space defined by the intermediate nozzle 51, the pair of measurement rolls 32 are brought in contact with the wire W1 under pressure. In the cut 29 a of the upstream nozzle 29, the pair of feed rolls 32 is brought in contact with the wire W1 under pressure. When the wire W1 is fed, the pair of feed rolls 32 follows the wire to be rotated. With a detection output of the encoder 58 by the rotation, a feed amount of the wire W1 is measured. When the feed amount achieves at a desired value, the pair of feed rolls 32 is stopped in its rotation. At this point, at downstream of the wire W1 fed by the pair of feed rolls 32, the measurement rolls 55 rotate to measure feed amount, and the wire W1 is to be precisely measured.

[0040] On the other hand, with the intermediate nozzle 51 established at a predetermined guide length, the upstream nozzles 29 are to be established at their downstream end positions P1 not to interfere with the rotation drive mechanism 42 of the feed rolls 32, and the upstream nozzles 29 are to be moved. According to the above-mentioned, ensuring the upstream nozzles 29 in movement, the wire W1 is to be precisely measured.

[0041] When replacing by a wire with different color, diameter, or quality, the wire W1, being used at present, is pulled back at a predetermined position. The pair of feed rolls 32 and measurement rolls 55 are moves to the detached position, and the upstream nozzle 29, corresponding to a wire W1 to be replaced, is moved at a position on the pass-line L1. Thereafter, the intermediate nozzle 51 is moved from the non-guide position to the guide position (the solid lined position on FIG. 4), and the pair of feed rolls 32 is moved at the press-contact position. Rotating the pair of the feed rolls 32, the wire W1 in the upstream nozzle 29 is fed. The fed wire W1 is guided in order by the upstream nozzle 29, the intermediate nozzle 51, and the downstream nozzle 30 to be securely supplied to a nozzle end, and wire feed is as possible in automation as a conventional art, ensuring wire cut length in accuracy.

[0042] The intermediate nozzle 51 includes the fixed nozzle 51 a, and the movable nozzle 51 b to be moved in an axle direction, overlapping partially with the fixed nozzle 51 a. The movable nozzle 51 b varies an overlap amount with the fixed nozzle 51 a to be moved between the guide position and the non-guide position. The fixed nozzle 51 a guides the movable nozzle 51 b to be moved, and the movable nozzle 51 is to be stabilized in movement.

[0043] In addition, movement of the movable nozzle 51 b is in a straight line, and is possible to be connected directly to the cylinder mechanism 52, so that the constitution to be extremely simplified. The movable nozzle 51 b is guided by the nozzle holding member 54 between the guide position and the non-guide position for movement, and the movable nozzle 51 b is moved, being guided by the nozzle holding member 54, so that the movable nozzle 51 b is further stabilized in movement.

[0044] In the above-described embodiment, though the movable nozzle 51 b is constituted integrally to move in a straight line, the movable nozzle 51 b may be constituted by two separated upper and lower members, which are to be moved together in the detached or contact direction by a parallel or rotation movement to be displaced between the guide and non-guide positions. The embodiment makes the movable nozzle 51 b further secure and stable in movement and a drive system further simpler. In addition, though the embodiment is constituted by the feed rolls 32 and the measurement rolls 55 as a pair, the other may be constituted as merely a fixed press receiving member. The constitutions of the feed rolls 32 and the measurement rolls 55 as a pair make wire feeding motion and length examination motion smooth and secure.

[0045] The entire contents of Japanese Patent Applications P2000-089617 (filed on Mar. 28, 2000) is incorporated herein by reference.

[0046] Although the invention has been described above by reference to certain embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the embodiments described above will occur to those skilled in the art, in light of the above teachings. The scope of the invention is defined with reference to the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A wire replacement device comprising: a first guide for guiding a wire at a first position; a second guide for guiding the wire at a second position; a feeder for feeding the wire from the first position to the second position; and a length examiner for examining the wire to be fed in length between the first and second positions and at downstream of the feeder.
 2. A wire replacement device according to claim 1 , wherein the feeder includes a first roll to be detached from the wire.
 3. A wire replacement device according to claim 1 , wherein the length examiner includes a second roll to be detached from the wire.
 4. A wire replacement device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a third guide for guiding the wire between the first and second positions.
 5. A wire replacement device according to claim 4 , wherein the third guide is variable in length.
 6. A wire replacement device according to claim 5 , wherein the third guide includes a first nozzle, and a second nozzle fitted to the first nozzle for movement.
 7. A wire replacement device according to claim 6 , further comprising: an actuator including a cylinder for movement of the second nozzle.
 8. A wire replacement device according to claim 7 , further comprising: a fourth guide for guiding the second nozzle. 